Psychotherapy
(coming soon) Therapy Articles You're Probably Smarter Than Your Therapist: How to Get What You Came for Anyways - Rest For Resistance By Lance Hicks, February 2, 2017 (TW: trauma mentions, abuse mentions) "The first time I went to therapy, I was twelve years old. I think my mom decided I was depressed, but I don’t really remember. What I do remember is spending several painfully-long sessions in in a cramped room with beige walls, across from an older white woman who asked all the wrong questions. And I remember not getting any better." "I never wanted to become a therapist, but in fall of last year, I enrolled in school to do just that. I promise you, this wasn’t my plan. What I did want was the chance to be a part of building something different and better than the mental health system we’ve already got. For me, that meant learning about all the worst the parts of our current mental health system, about how trauma affects oppressed people, and about every possible approach to anti-oppressive mental health care. So, I enrolled in a clinical social work program." "“Therapist” isn’t a degree or field of study – it’s a job title. Therapists can have degrees in social work, counseling, psychology, or art therapy, to name a few. I decided to study social work because of the profession’s emphasis on social justice, and because I know I want to do work that extends beyond a clinical setting. A social worker is also most likely, of all mental health providers, to help you navigate complicated systems, support you in accessing survival resources, and advocate on your behalf – so we’re handy if you want someone who’ll leave the office and help you with external factors that impact your health and well-being. Psychologists tend to have more in-depth education about the science of the brain, but aren’t required to think as hard about privilege and oppression. And psychiatrists are medical doctors, who often don’t provide psychotherapy at all. They’re the ones to see if you’re looking for medication beyond what your primary care provider is able to prescribe, but if you want therapy as well, you’ll generally need a second practitioner." "A functioning label is an oppressive tool used by mental health gatekeepers to assess how well you navigate capitalism while dealing with a mental health struggle. Does your depression keep you from holding down a job? Did you drop out of school because of OCD? These labels empower your therapist to determine which parts of your life are problems, and to what extent, even if you disagree. Are you a sex worker? Do you smoke pot? Did you run away from home? If so, chances are you’ll be assigned a lower functioning label. It’s disgusting. It’s also the way you get services, if you rely on community mental health (CMH) – the publically funded system of care available in the United States. Functioning labels exist so providers can compare people’s experiences with mental health, and decide whose care should take priority within an overtaxed, underfunded bureaucracy. With this in mind, if you’re accessing CMH services, think carefully about how you want to represent your concerns before any intake assessments. Sharing in-depth information about how mental health struggles impact your life could cause providers to pathologize you in ways that impact your treatment plan. On the other hand, avoiding these topics altogether could make you ineligible for services. To study up functioning labels, and the assessments used to create them, spend some time searching CAFAS and LOCUS." "Accessing mental health care is almost always hard. For queer and trans people of color, it can sometimes feel impossible. These tips won’t transform an oppressive industry, but I hope they’ll help you feel more confident, armed with tools to help you navigate it."https://www.restforresistance.com/zine/how-to-get-help-when-youre-smarter-than-your-therapist Psychology Why most of psychology is statistically unfalsifiable - Richard D Morey, Medium Psychiatry (coming soon) References Category:Psychology Category:Psychiatrist Category:Social Science Category:Neurology